Utility prong metal



5 w. E. QCHROER ETAL 2,865377 UTILITY PRONG METAL Filed April 30, 1956United States Patent Cfiice 2,865,377 TY QNG ME A? assigno'rsjto LooseLeaf. Metals Qomgaiiy, Louis,

The present invention, relates generally.,.to,loose leaf metals, andmore particularly tolocking and release mechanism for loose leaf metalsof' the hinged multipo i n t pe.

n i the prese nv n io a p e d em odiment, includes an arcuate cam membermounted upon one prong supporting membenof a hinged utility prong metal,and an arcuate lock bracket and, a reciprocable rin -b n etehfl em emanne upon he other prong supporting member of said metal. The cammember and lock bracket are disposed in relation to each other, so thatthey substantially overlap in one extreme position of movement and areentirely separated in the other extreme position of movement.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel lockingmechanism for loose leaf binder metals which is effective inmulti-positioning the metal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel lockingmechanism for loose leaf binder metals, which will permit the bindermetal to be closed without manipulation of the locking mechanism, butwhich requires releasing action to open to the selected position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel lockingmechanism for loose leaf binder metals, which is positive in action, andwhich has all the parts thereof within the binder metal, therebyminimizing accidental release and breakage.

Other objects are to provide a novel locking mechanism for loose leafbinder metals, which is of sturdy construction, hence, will functionindefinitely without repair, which may be readily manipulated by a user,and which otherwise fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

The foregoing objects and advantages, and others, will be apparent fromthe following description taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a utility prong metal incorporating thepresent invention, a cover being shown in broken lines;

Figure 2 is an end view thereof, a cover and sheets being shown inbroken lines;

Figure 3 is a rear view thereof on a larger scale;

Figure 4 is a front View thereof on a still larger scale, the novellocking mechanism being closed, the center prongs being broken away forclarity;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, the locking mechanism being inintermediate position;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, the locking mechanism being inreleased position;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are transverse vertical cross-sectional views takenon substantially the lines 77, 88, and 99 of Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a transverse, vertical cross-sectional view taken onsubstantially the line 10-10 of Figure 5;

Figure 11 is a transverse, vertical cross-sectional view taken onsubstantially the line 11-11 of Figure 6;

Figure 12 is a view of the flat blank from which th latch member isformed;

Figure 13 a m efla lank. r mzw iqhnha lock. bracket is formed;

Figure 14 isa view ofthe flat blank from whiclpthe cam is formed, and

Figure. 15 is view. of the latching end .of thedatch, mem r. e ain n R tn n mken t to conserve space.

Referring to the drawing. mQI P. al:tit1 l a 11 y..byfigfqlfi ence,numerals, 20 indicates, ge'nerally a. utility 'pron g metal, andl22refers. to the novel lockingn echanism. mounted there on, l i i 'Themetal 20 includes angle members 24 and..25 .con-, nected by. a pianohinge. 26,, each of. which supports spacedprongs 27. In 'FiguresI and2,. cover members and removablisheets (are. ,shown. by broken, lines.

The locking mechanism 22 includes an, arcuate, cam. 32 ecu ed by..rivets33 [to the mefmber 25,. an ,areuate lockfbracket ,35. ,s'curedjto themember 24. by. rivets I 36,, and, .a latchfmember 38 ,moun tedfpn themember 24 ,for. reciprocation ion rivets 39.. l

The camw32 includes a slot 41,: a .ca m. edge 42 leading to ,the slot41, astopfshoulder .43, and..a..cam. edge .44, leading to the shoulder,45,. Theseafeatures. are .clearly shownin Figure 14. The lock bracket 35includes a slot 45 (Fig. 13).

The latch member 38 has a thumb tab 46, elongated openings 47, acut-away 48 in one side, a vertical tab 49, and a vertical tongue orflange 50 at one end (Fig. 12). The openings 47 receive the rivets 39.Within the cutaway 48 is a helical tension spring 52, one end of whichis anchored to the tab 49 and the other end of which is anchored to atab 53 struck out of the member 24. The tongue 50 extends upwardly intothe slot 45 of the lock bracket 35. The spring 52 biases the latchmember 38 into the longitudinal relationship shown in Figures 46.

In use, the locking mechanism 22 normally maintains the members 24 and25 of the metal 20 in the position of Figure 4, the locked relation. Thetongue 50 is in the slot 41 of the cam 32. To release, the thumb tab 46of the latch member 38 is pushed inwardly to free the tongue 50 from theslot 41. Thereupon, the metal 20 may be pivoted to the full openposition of Figure 6, if the thumb tab 46 is held inwardly, or to theintermediate position of Figure 5 if the thumb tab 46 is immediatelyreleased once the tongue50 leaves the slot 41.

In the full open position of Figure 6, sheets may be removed from orplaced on the prongs 27. In the intermediate position of Figure 5, thesheets may be readily worked on or viewed, yet remain on the prongs 27.

To close the metal 20 from the position of Figure 6, the members 24 and25 are pivoted towards each other. The tongue 50 is automatically guidedby the cam edges 44 and 42 into the slot 41, the locked position. Ifdesired, the metal 20 may be left in the intermediate position of Figure5.

It is manifest that there has been provided a novel locking mechanismwhich fulfills the objects. and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example.It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements,rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, whichwill be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as withinthe scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claimwhich follows.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a loose leaf metal including two prong supportingmembers, prongs mounted on each supporting member, means pivotallyconnecting said prong supporting members so that said supported prongsare mov able in arcs from open position to overlapping closed nted. Dc.- 23. 58;

ii Q,

\1 position, an arcuate cam member secured to one supporting memberintermediate the ends thereof including a strip portion in arcuate formtransversely spanning a portion of said one supporting member, anarcuate bracket secured to the other prong supporting memberintermediate the ends thereof and in operative opposed relation to saidarcuate cam member including a strip portion in arcuate formtransversely spanning a portion of said other supporting member, saidbracket overlying the arcuate cam member when said prong supportingmembers are in position with the prongs in closed relation, said arcuatecam member being disposed between the bracket and said supportingmembers when the prongs are in closed relation, said arcuate cam memberand said bracket being in separated relation when said said prongsupporting members are in position with the prongs in open relation, anelongated latch member mounted on the supporting member to which saidbracket is secured for longitudinal reciprocative movement transverselyof said bracket and said cam member, said latch member having anangularly directed tongue at one end and a thumb piece at the other,said bracket including a transverse slot in a plane parallel with itssupporting member, said tongue being disposed in said transverse slot ofsaid bracket, said cam member including a transverse shoulder, a camsurface at each side of said shoulder, and a transverse slot spaced fromsaid shoulder in a plane parallel with its supporting member, said camsurface between said shoulder and said transverse slot in said cammember leading from the inner end of said shoulder to the open end ofsaid transverse slot to guide the latch member tongue from the shoulderinto the transverse slot, said tongue engaging said transverse shoulderin one position of said supporting members and engaging in saidtransverse slot of said cam member in another position of saidsupporting members, and spring means biasing said latch memberlongitudinally outwardly and said tongue towards engagement with theclosed end of the bracket slot, said cam surface of said cam memberbetween said shoulder and said slot of said cam member providingautomatic guide means to direct said latch tongue from shoulder engagingposition to slot engaging position upon closing movement of saidsupporting members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,091,189 St. Louis Aug. 24, 1937 2,247,397 Oman July 1, 1941 FOREIGNPATENTS 708,742 France May 4, 1931 724,926 France Feb. 5, 1932

